The saying goes that art is in the eye of the beholder. What someone may see as beautiful others may see as ok. As a parent, you want to encourage your kids to be creative and do what they want. Sometimes you might not understand what they are doing but you always want to be that support system for them. Ezra is a normal kid who thinks a little outside the box when it comes to art. We all know kids like this and What in the World is Ezra’s Art? is a fantastic book that shows us to love the different and accept what others do.
Eric Toda and Shar Fay wrote the book with beautiful illustrations by Tara Hân-Trần Johnson. Each page pops out as it tells the story of Ezra and his art. Those that are around Ezra try to understand what he is drawing but at times their thoughts on his paintings don’t match up to what it is. This causes Ezra to feel like an outsider because his art does not get the same amount of praise as his fellow students. As any kid at that age, we just want to fit in and be accepted by those around us.
What happens to Ezra and his art? Does he decide to stop drawing and just give up on his passion? You must read the book to find out what happens to Ezra. I do love that as you read and get attached to Ezra you start to think of times when you were considered strange for thinking outside the box. These thoughts can make for great conversations with your kids about whether they have ever felt that way and what they did in those moments. This is one of the great aspects of reading books together with your children. Seeing how your kids relate to the characters and sharing those stories with you are memories that will last a lifetime.
What in the World is Ezra’s Art? is a great addition to your home library and a book you will want to re-read with your child. The book not only gives you a great story to read but also some great activities to help foster creativity with your kids. You can learn how to make play dough, have puppet shows, and even questions to ask when doing these activities. There are even pages where your child can release their inner Ezra and draw a few pictures in the book. This is a book that gets the creative juices flowing in your kids.
Read a little bit about the book and what it has to offer below and if you like what you read, buy a copy for your kids and enjoy reading the book together!
The book features Ezra, a seven-year-old boy who likes cheese-flavored ice cream, flying off the couch with his superhero cape, and peeling dried glue off his fingers. And he LOVES making art. Every day at Braddock Elementary, he doodles, draws, paints, and crafts with abandon. When he makes something, the entire world melts away, his heart feels warm, and his entire body wants to wiggle. But there is one problem. Even though he loves making it, no one understands it. In this heartwarming picture book, little Ezra questions whether he should continue to create when his parents, teachers, and classmates don’t seem to get, or even like, his creations. What in the World Is Ezra’s Art? explores the question: Can Ezra feel good about his art when no one else does?
Included in the book is an activity guide that parents and educators will be able to implement with young readers. The guide and activities were developed and written by Isabel Taylor, an art educator at the Chinese American International School in San Francisco, California.
The book was printed using Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certified paper by Transcontinental, a Canadian printer known as an FSC “chain of custody” printer. This means that wood grown for paper in certified forestlands is tracked throughout the supply chain from the forest to the printer, and the printer engages in certified environmentally friendly processes – from using water- or soy-based inks to shipping the books on recycled wood pallets – to Third State’s distribution warehouse.